The UR West and Central Africa – “Human Capital and Innovation for a Resilient Society” – took place from 20 to 22 November 2019 in Abidjan (Ivory Coast). Over the course of technical workshops and plenary sessions, the conference provided an opportunity for participants to exchange experiences and insights on the crucial challenge of understanding the risks of natural disasters in West and Central Africa. Exhibitions and cultural events allowed participants to view resilience from a different perspective. Topics included the use of risk information for urban and financial resilience, digital technologies for a better understanding of flood and erosion risks, nature-based solutions for risk reduction, risk communication through art, the contribution of local communities and entrepreneurs to a resilient society, and many other exciting topics.
Understanding Risk (UR) is a community of experts and stakeholders from around the world in the field of risk management, risk prevention, risk assessment and risk communication. Members include representatives of government agencies, multilateral organizations, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, research institutes, academics, local community organizations and civil society.
The ACP-EU NDRR Program funded the participation of several Delegates to the conference. Furthermore, this conference was organized with financial support from the European Union (EU) in the frame of the ACP-EU Africa Disaster Risk Financing Program, which is managed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR).
Download the proceedings of the conference in English and in French.